Since we’d decided to tell our parents, I didn’t see much point in waiting. My dad and his mom were out of town for the moment, so that just left my mom.

“Do you know when they’ll be coming back?” I asked. “Mom didn’t tell me anything about that. I don’t think she knows…”

Kevin shrugged. “I’m not entirely sure. I mean, there was still the whole ‘rent a house’ plan, so they’ll probably be coming back to complete that. I was supposed to go back to school after we moved, and considering how much school we’ve both been missing recently…” he grimaced. “We might have to repeat a semester if we take too long.”

I sighed. “I can't handle another semester. I’m not sure I’m ready to go back to school, either, but… If you are there, then I’ll go back.”

“Of course I’ll be there. I don’t want to get held back a year. Besides, my mom told me the plan was to wait until I graduate, then she’ll help me get an apartment.” He paused, then quietly added, “She also told me, that afterward, she and your dad would be moving out of town.”

I flattened my lips. We’d moved to the living room after he’d finished his meal, and we were seated on the couch. Kevin leaned against the corner between the arm and the back of the seat, and I sat next to him, leaning against him, with my legs tucked under me on the seat. Hearing him mention my dad, I buried my face into his chest so he wouldn’t see my unhappy expression. I wasn’t going to insult his mom anymore, but a part of me still felt bitter.

“It would be for the best,” I admitted reluctantly. “If they stuck around here, they’d be roasted in this town. Unless a miracle happens and Mom forgives them. And even then, they’ll probably still get plenty of public disapproval.”

Kevin just hummed. He was probably worried for his mom. Though, he should also have been worried about himself. Especially after our affair came out, now that it most definitely would, and in less than nine months.

We sat there in silence for a while. I closed my eyes and listened to Kevin’s heart beating in his chest, his breath moving in and out of his lungs. He carded his fingers through my hair, and I sighed at the gentle movement.

“I’ll have to go back soon,” I said reluctantly after a while. “Mom and I have been having dinner together in the evenings. She’ll probably be back from work soon. I’ve been sleeping more than usual lately, so she doesn’t bother me in the mornings, but she’ll expect me to be there to have dinner.”

Kevin sighed and slowly pulled his arms from around me.

“Fine. Do you want me to come with you?”

I shook my head as I dropped my feet onto the floor and moved my body away from his. “That might just harm things more than help. She’s not the biggest fan of your family at the moment. And, after this, she might not be your biggest fan either, even though you were Rod’s best friend.”

He looked unhappy, but I knew he would stay put. There was nothing I could do about it, though. I knew it would be way easier to just talk to Mom alone. Especially since I didn’t do it often. I didn’t know how to talk to my mom.

I pecked a kiss on Kevin’s lips. I was still dressed in his clothes, and it was around early evening. People might see me on the trip back, but what did it matter anymore? We weren’t going to be keeping us a secret for much longer. Besides, his clothes were comfortable. I still had to change out of them, though.

I got home and realized I still had time before Mom came. So, I decided to start on dinner instead of waiting on Mom. I’d done it a couple of times before, and noticed she was happy when I had, instead of leaving her to do the work. With only the two of us living in the house, I couldn’t leave Mom with all the chores, so I helped out doing Rod’s and Dad’s old share of chores.

Everything was just about ready when she arrived.

“Stacey?” she called, then walked into the kitchen a moment later. She smiled when she saw me setting plates on the table. “Oh, you already made dinner. That’s good because I didn’t have time to eat much at lunch and I’m starving.”

She was dressed in one of her pantsuits with black heeled shoes. Her purse was still on her arm, and she set it on the chair that used to be Rod’s and took her seat. She always did that automatically when she came back from work recently. It was something she hadn't done before, and I wondered at it. But, I already knew she was having a hard time coping, so I didn’t say anything.

We sat down to eat, and there was no noise in the room besides the clinking of cutlery on the plates. Dinner was a lot less lively with just the two of us. Dad and Rod had always acted as buffers, so without them there; the atmosphere was just awkward. Not to forget sad and depressing at times. I ate as much as I could stomach, nearly two servings before Mom was done with her first.

Mom stared at me as I took my dishes to the sink.

“Stacey, has your appetite increased recently?” she asked, sounding confused. “I could have sworn you didn’t use to eat so much.”

“Uh, yeah,” I muttered, reflexively wiping my hands down on my dress in agitation. Then I took a deep breath and turned around, but didn’t go back to the table to sit. “Actually Mom, there’s something I wanted to tell you, about that.”

I stopped and bit down on my lip. My hands trembled a little with nerves, and I curled my fingers into my palms to still them.

Mom looked confused. “Sure, Stacey. What is it? Is something wrong?”

“Well,” I said, dragging the word out, stalling. “I don’t know if you could say anything’s wrong, exactly…”

“Would you just spill it? Whatever it is, it can't be that bad.” But there was a small furrow in her brow like she wasn’t entirely sure of that.

Please don’t react badly, I thought in my mind. Then, I said it as bluntly as I had to Kevin:

“Mom, I’m pregnant.”

Her entire body seemed to go still. For a few seconds, I wasn’t sure she was even breathing. Then, she frowned.

“I’m sorry, what?”

I repeated, “I’m pregnant. I already went to a doctor and confirmed it,” I added.

Her frown only deepened. “But… how? You’re not seeing anyone, are you? I never heard anything.”

I braced myself for this next part and spoke. “That’s…because I didn’t tell anyone. Well, a few people know, but only like three, and two of them only by accident. People from school, so you wouldn’t know them.”

“So you’ve been seeing a boy from school…?”

“No…not just from school, Mom. It’s Kevin,” I admitted. “We’ve been dating for a while now, actually, I just never figured out how to…tell everyone. It’s his baby.”

She went silent. It lasted a long time, and I was starting to grow worried. She wasn’t even looking at me anymore. Instead, it looked like she’d lost herself in space. She brought herself out of it in a moment, setting down her fork carefully and folding her hands on the table.

The silence lasted longer than my patience, and I took a step forward.

“Mom—” I started, but she cut off.

“Leave.”

I paused. I’d heard her loud and clear, but I waited, hoping she’d say something else, and I’d realized that the word came from my imagination instead. When she turned to look at me, though, it was hard to hold the delusion. She was glaring hard at me like I’d committed some crime. Worse; like I’d betrayed her.

“I said leave, Stacey. Leave this room, leave this house. If you’re so interested in that family, you might as well follow your father.”

The jab hurt. For a time after Rod’s death and Dad moving out, I’d harbored hope that my mom and I would grow closer. That wasn’t even close to happening.

“Fine,” I whispered hoarsely, feeling choked up, but holding back the tears. “But so that you know,” I added. “Once I’m out of here, you’re going to be alone. And…it’s something that you really should have been a long time ago.”

My voice cracked, and I paused to take a few breaths. I had a few words for my mother that I’d been saving for a while. If she was kicking me out, I was going to tell her all of it.

“You’re not perfect, Mom, not even close. It’s no wonder you have no close friends, that you had to turn to your son for comfort when you found out Dad was cheating on you.” She opened her mouth, and I held a hand up to cut off what she was about to say. “I know he might have figured it out on his own, but if you’d said the right thing, he might not have gotten quite as out of hand as he did.”

She looked surprised, and I laughed.

“What, did you think completely none of the blame could fall on you in this? Mom, Dad and Jenny might have been the cause, but the reason he went off the deep end is because of you, you know? Because he was really worried about you. But would you ever think of blaming yourself? Of course not! You’re always criticizing everybody, and putting everyone down. Everyone, expect your perfect little boy. Only he’s gone now, and you’re still doing this.”

I snorted and turned my back on her. “Whatever. Don’t expect me to come back here.”

A part of me had been prepared for how she’d react. Still, it hurt, with every step that I took up the stairs, I could feel my heart breaking into pieces more and more. I’d only pack some clothes and important things then get out.

The second I was in my room, I texted Kevin to get me, instructing him to wait outside the house before I went around packing.